Pro wrestling veteran Steph De Lander discussed various topics with TMZ Inside the Ropes, including how TNA Wrestling has empowered its talents to be creative.
De Lander said, “At TNA, I was allowed to be very creative as well. And a lot of that was I — you know, I didn’t wrestle much at TNA. For a majority of the time that I was there, I was injured, right? So, I was very lucky that even though I was out, I was in a huge major storyline. I had a wedding, so I was able to write my own wedding vows and basically like plan out a whole TV wedding. I did an engagement, you know what I mean? We had like so many — we were divorced, because my husband actually went insane in real life and quit the company. And then I did later. But no, so there was actually, for me, so many moments where I was allowed to be really creative at TNA. I would say TNA was openly very creative too. I think WWE is a lot stricter with the way that things work, and that’s for good reason. That’s TV, you know what I mean? That’s the biggest show on that scale. So, I understand why there’s different levels of restraints on things. But no, for me, I was allowed to be creative in in TNA; I’m excited to be creative in Ring of Honor. That’s kind of the part of it that I love the most.”
On whether she currently has a relationship with TNA:
“I mean, at the moment there is no relationship. You know, there is no communication; there has been no communication. Like, the last communication there was me saying, ‘Send me my release papers right now.’ And I got them in an email and, that was that. I’ve seen people that were high up in the company that I know were part of those decisions. I’ve seen them at shows, and we just walk past each other. And I think it’s because they don’t want to have a conversation with me, because they know how that’s going to go. So you know, there is no relationship at this point. That’s not to say that I’ll never go back to TNA again. The way that wrestling is, is everyone ping pongs all over the place. So, I’m never going to sit here and say, ‘I will never ever, ever do this thing.’ But for right now, I don’t see that as an option in the near future. Again, things can change. But conversations would have to be had, and I don’t care to have them anytime soon.”
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